Successively-operated tone controls



I J. H. HAMMOND, JR 635 995 SUCGESSIVBLY OPERATED TONE CONTROLS Filed May 5, 1925 WHW ATTORNEY Patented July 19, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SUGCESSIVELY-OPERATED TONE CONTROLS.

Application filed May 5,

This invention relates to improvements in musical instruments of the percussive type, and more particularly to the improvement of the tone control of such instruments.

It is one object of the present invention to provide an improved stringed musical instrument including means for producing sound positioned within a substantially sound proof casing in combination with means for producing a highly damped musical note and tone modulators for regulating the volume of sound emitted from the instrument while the note is sustained.

The invention also has particular refer- 15 enceto the method of controlling the volume of sound initially producedby the instrument and of subsequently controlling the amount of sound emitted.

The invention has especial adaptability for use in'a piano, in which a percussive mechanism is employed for vibrating a string. A pianissimo action for controlling the percussive mechanism to regulate the .volnme of sound is ineffective unless employed for such control at the moment of,

or immediately prior to, the sounding of the string, and the present invention contemplates the provision of a pianissimo action which is normally connected so as to cause 30 the strings when struck to produce a volume of sound less than the maximum volume, and

mechanism for initially actuating the pianissimo action to cause the strings to produce the full volume, and for subsequently controlling tone modulators effective for controlling the volume of sound so long as the strings keep vibrating.

Other objects will appear from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a front elevation, partly in sec tion, of a grand pianoembodying features of the present invention; and Fig. 2 is a section takenon the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. V

Like reference characters refer to like parts in the several figures of the drawings.

In the following description and claims, parts will be identified by specific names for convenience of expression, but they are in tended to be as generic in their application to similarparts or equivalent construction as the art will permit.

In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the system is shown as applied to a grand piano 10, which is provided with 1925. Serial No. 28,167.

three pedals 11, 12 and 13 mounted in a base 14. The pedal 11 operates the pianissimo action of the piano, andis connected to a rod 15 so that when the pedal is depressed the rod will be elevated. The rod 15 is provided with a lug 16 to which is attachedone end of a spring '17 theother end of which is secured to the base 1 1. The upper end of the rod 15 is provided with a lug 20 and cam shaped projection 21 which cooperates with a roller 22 mounted on an arm 23 which is pivoted at 24 to the framework of the piano. The upper end of the, arm 23 fits into a notch 25 provided in the key-bed 26 of the piano which is slidably mounted upon the framework of the piano and which is normally held in the position shown by means of the spring 27. The key-bed, 26 carries the usual piano action 28, the hammers of which strike the strings 30 when the keys 31' are depressed. This action is of any standard and well knownconstruction and need not. be more fully described herein. It is understood that any equivalent pianissimo action may be employed in steadof that shown, as for example, mechanism in which the hammers are shifted in adirection perpendicular to the plane of the springs so as to vary the amplitude of sound by varying the force with which the strings'are struck by thehammers. Such a mechanism is conventionally used in upright pianos, while the pianissimo mechanism illustrated in the drawings is ofthe type usually employed in grand pianos.

The lug 20 of the rod 15 for a portion of its travel contacts with a bell-crank pivotedat 3 1 to the framework of the piano. A backstop or pin 35 is mounted on the frame and normally maintains the bell-crank in fixed position as shown in Fig. 1. The other end of the bell-crank 33 is connected bya link 36 to an ar1n37, which is rigidly secured to a shaft 38. Attached to the link 86 is one end of a spring 40 the other end of which is secured to a bracket ll mounted upon the framework of the piano to maintain the bell-crank 33 against its back stop 35. The shaft 38 is provided with bearings 42 and 43, which are carried by the framework of the piano. A collar 14 is rigidly secured to the shaft to prevent it from sliding through the bearings. Rigidly secured to the shaft 38 are two arms 45 and 16 to which are connected links 17 and 48, the other ends of which are connected to rods '50 and 51. Pivoted to the rod 50 is a plurality of arms 52 which are mounted upon an equal number of tone modulators, which may take the form of closures 53, mounted for rotation about their longitudinal axes in the framework of the piano. Pivoted to the rod 51 is a plurality of arms 55 which are mounted upon an equal number of tone modulators, such as the closures 56, mounted for rotation in the framework of the piano.

In the operation of this invention the tone modulators are normally closed and the soft pedal actionon, as shown by the keybed 26 and the piano action 28, which are held in the extreme right hand position, by the spring 27 thus causing the hammers to strike less than the full number of strings in each note. As the foot pedal 11 is depressed the rod 15 will be elevated, causing the roller 22 to moveout along the cam 21, thus rotating the arm 23 about the pivot 24 in a counterclockwise direction, this causes the key-bed 26 to be moved-to the left against the action of the spring 27 until the roller 22 is on theside of the cam 21, at which time the piano action 28 will be in such-a position that the hammers will strike the full number of strings of each note.

When the pedal 11 isfurther depressed the lug 20 will engage the hell-crank 33, thus causing it to be rotated about the pivot 34 in a counter-clockwise direction. This will move the'link 36 to the right, thus rotat-ing the arm 37 and the shaft 38 me clockwise direction as seen in Fig. 2. This will cause the arms 45 and 46 to be rotated in a similar direction, thus moving the links 47 and 48 to the left. This will cause the rods 50, 51 to be moved to the left, which in turn will open the sets of tone modulators 53 and 56 respectively.

As the pressure on the'pedal 11is decreased, the rod 15 will move downwardly under the action of the spring-17 and the bell-crank 33 will be rotated in a clockwise directionlunder the action of the spring 40, thus causing the sets of tone modulators 53 and-56 to be gradually closed. This will continue until'they have been entirely closed at which'time the bell-crank 33 will have come against the pin 35. As the rod15 continues to move downwardly, the roller 22 will move down the sloping face ofv the cam 21, thus allowing the arm 23 to be retated'in a clockwise direction under the action of the spring 27, which tends to move' tors are operated successively so that their effects will extend over a greater range than if either one were used independently or both operated simultaneously.

The invention upon which this application is based is broader than the specific embodiment shown and described for the purpose of illustrating at least one of the ways in which it may be employed. The scope of the invention is therefore to be understood as not being limited by the present specific description. I intend no limitations other than those imposed by the claims.

What I claim is:

1. A modulating system for a pianoforte, comprising a tone modulating pedal, a pianissimo action for controlling the initial volume of sound produced by the strings of the pianoforte, a tone modulator for controlling the volume of sound emitted from the instrument, and means interconnecting said pedal and. said action and modulator for operating the same successively.

2. In a musical instrument having a percussive action for producing sound, a pianissimo mechanism forcontrolling said percussive action to vary the amplitude of sound produced theieby, a pedal for controlling said pianissimo mechanism, a tone modulator for varying the volume of sound emitted from the instrument, and means interccnnecting said modulator and said pedal for actuating said modulator and said pian i simo action successively.

3. In a musical instrument of the percussive type, a plurality of hammers, strings arranged to be set into vibration by the impact thereon of said hammers, a plurality of keys for actuating said hammers respectively, means for variably positioning said hammers with respect to said strings to modify the intensity of sound produced by said strings by the impact of the hammers, a pluralit of tone modulators for varying the intensity of sound emitted from the in strument, and means for successively operating the hammer positioning mechanism and the modulating mechanism.

4. In a musicalinstrument of the percussire type, the combination of a casing having oppositely disposed controllable apertures, means positioned within the casing for producing musical tones by percussion, a manual. for actuating said percussion means, means acting on the ercnssion means to modify the intensity 0 sound produced by said percussion means, means for controlling the extent of opening of said apertures, for varying the intensit of sound emitted from the instrument, an means for successively operating said sound intensity controls.

5. In a musical instrument of the revssive type, a plurality of hammers, strings arranged to be set into vibration by the impact thereon of said hammers, a plurality of keys for actuating said hammers respectively, means for variably positioning said hammers With respect to said strings to modify the intensity of sound produced by said strings by the impact of the hammers, a plurality of tone modulators for varying the intensity of sound emitted from the instrument, a sound intensity control pedal and means operatively connecting said pedal to said hammer positioning means and to said tone modulators for operating said positioning means and said modulators successively.

6. In a musical instrument of the percussive type, a plurality of hammers, strings arranged to be set into vibration by the impact thereon of said hammers, a plu rality of keys for actuating said hammers respectively, an actuating arm for variably positioning said hammers With respect to said strings to modify the intensity of sound produced by said strings by the impact of the hammers, a plurality of tone modulators for varying the intensity of sound emitted from the instrument, a bellcrank t'or actuating said modulators, a sound intensity control pedal and a rod reciprocated by said pedal, said rod including a cam for operating said arm and a lug for operating said bell-crank.

7. In a musical instrument having a percussive action for producing sound, a pianissimo mechanism for said percussive action to vary the amplitude of sound produced thereby, a pedal for controlling said pianissimo mechanism, a tone modulator for varying the volume of sound emitted from the instrument and means interconnecting said modulator and said pedal for actuating said modulator and said pianissimomechanism ineffective for actuating said modulator until the pianissimo mechanism has been actuated.

8. In a musical instrument of the percussive type, a plurality of hammers, strings arranged to be set into vibration by the impact thereon of said hammers, a plurality of keys for actuating said hammers respectively, a pianissimo mechanism for variably positioning said hammers with respect to said strings to regulate the intensity of sound produced by said strings by the impact of the hammers, a plurality of modulators for varying the intensity of sound emitted from the instrument, and means for successively operating the pianissimo mech-, anism and the modulating mechanism.

9. In a musical instrument having a percussive action for producing sound, a pianissimo mechanism for said percussive ac tion to limit the volume of sound produced thereby, a pedal for actuating said pianissimo mechanism to increase the volume of sound, a tone modulator for limiting the volume of sound emitted from the instrument and means interconnecting said modulator and said pedal for actuating said pianissimo action and said modulator in sequence.

10. In a musical instrument havin a percussive action for producing soun a pianissimo mechanism for said percussive action to limit the volume of sound produced thereby, a pedal ior actuating said pianissimo mechanism to increase the volume of sound, a tone modulator for reducing the volume of sound emitted from the instrument and means interconnecting said modulator and saidpedal for actuating said pianissimo action and said modulator in prearranged sequence.

11. In a musical instrument of the percussive type, a plurality of hammers, strings arranged to be set into vibration by the impact thereon on said hammers, a plurality of keys for acuating said hammers respectively, hammer control mechanism to limit the intensity of sound produced by said strings by the impact of the hammers, an actuating arm for the hammer control mechanism, a tone modulating mechanism for reducing the intensity of sound emitted from the instrument, a bell-crank for actuating said modulating mechanism, and a cam operated at the Will of an operator for successively operating the-hammer control actuating arm and the modulating mechanism bell-crankin a predetrmined order.

12. A modulating system for a pianoforte, comprising a tune modulating pedal, means for controlling the initial volume of sound produced by the strings of the pianoforte, means for controlling the volume of sound produced by the sustained vibration of the strings, and means'for controlling said sound a controlling means successively.

13. In a percussive musical instrument, means for variably controlling the percussive action to reduce the initial intensity of sound, means for variably controlling the sound after the initiating of the sound, and a pedal for actuating said sound control means successively.

Signed at New York City in the county of New York and the State of New Yorlr this 4th day of May A. D. 1925.

JOHN HAYS HAMMOND, JR. 

